I picked up a 2012 1200 GSA about two weeks ago.. I've had a 1100GS('98) and a 2005 1200 RT.. and currently own a KTM990 also.. so I have some good history of the boxer and would expect the GSA to crap all over my 990 ADV..

here's my issue.. whilst I've not done any subjective testing per se.. the 1200 GSA seems very tame, whereas the KTM 990 will rip your arms off.. it really has punch. Noting I purchased for two different purposes so all cool.. but, In wondering do the GSA's come in some lamo mode.. cat converter, engine mapping, shitty exhaust, air box restrictions..??

I rang my dealer and he said that run perfect from the first day onward... ie 1km on the ODO... not if this is just 'the way it is' then I'm cool with that.. but do they get better with a pip, removed of the cat converter etc etc..?

I'm sure my '05 1200RT used to go much harder..! The GSA does have very nice low down torque .. but nothing to write home about, overall.

funny...I rode my GS over to the KTM dealer and test rode a brand new 990Adv, and was seriously underwhelmed. Really didn't understand what all that KTM 'hooligan' talk was all about.

In the end, I think I didn't give it a fair shake and need to ride one that has a few thousand miles on it. Same goes for the GS if i remember, took a little time to get everything seated properly and broken in.

I've owned two KTM950's (but not a 990) and both a R1100GS and a R1150GS Adventure. And am now a new owner of a 2013 R1200GS Adventure for just a few weeks and a few hundred miles. So, I do have 50K+ miles experience on the KTM950's and 150K+ miles on oilhead BMW's.

When I came to select a new adventure bike I considered both the KTM990 and the R1200GS Adventure. I selected the BMW despite the fact that is cost a lot more money. Reasons: Primarily I did it as I wanted one of the last air/oil cooled boxer motors before they do to the water cooled models this summer. Secondarily, both the PITA (pain in the ass) of the maintenance of the KTM bothered me as it was a royal pain to do a valve adjustment, etc.. and the fact that, IMHO, the KTM950 lacks the torque that the BMW has. Meaning, the KTM was a hell of a lot of fun but I felt like I had to row the gearbox a LOT to keep it in the power band where I wanted it. I live in Colorado so we have less power up here.

I think the fact that the BMW has more torque, or at least it feels like it does, works better for me. When I'm out touring around or playing with the sport bikes I am not shifting all day. That was very appealing. The 2013 GS Adventure to me is a lot of fun and does very well in the twisties but it is not going to feel like the KTM and vice versa. If I was going for a long journey (1000+ miles) I'd pick the BMW every single time over the KTM.

The bike doesn't feel lame to me. It runs just fine right out of the box and the stock exhaust has a nice snarl to it compared to the R1100GS and R1150GS Adventure bikes which DID sound like sewing machines. I think BMW has made a lot of good progress with the latest GS.

Thanks guys.. Hey, I love the GSA...I REALLY do...was cruising on it tonight..awesome bike. I absolutely loved my 1200RT .. So my most recent boxer memories are of that. Then I traded it for a k16GT...now that is one amazing motorbike..but so heavy.. So coming from a stable consisting of a ktm990 adv and a k16gt screaming power is something you get used to...not that it's needed of course..!

I got the GSA as primarily an on road bike...meaning any listed roads on the map, sealed or unsealed..and the ktm, she's my go anywhere bike..they're both good at their own jobs.

Thanks for the input..just need to get used to the GSA's power delivery...love the shaft drive again and very nice torque.!

It's a lame POS. You should be embarrassed to own it. Ship it to me through my agent and I will send you a cashiers check for $30,000.......Send your whale foreskin suit and your Starbucks gift card too.

I'm with the original poster. I had a gs1100 about a half dozen bikes ago. I had a 950 adv as my last bike. Its not about a weight ratio or other responses in this thread its about the motor. If you ride aggressively the lc8 engine in the high revs is an arm puller and fun as heck. After my love hate relationship with my 950 along and with my serious addicition to buying bikes and fixing them up ($) I have now ended up with another oilhead. I agree, I am very underwhelmed by the power but I knew this going into it and bought this bike specifically for a trip that will involve a ton of paved roads. For this trip I knew a boxer would be the better bike.

Each time I ride the gs I wonder how people compare a boxer to an lc8 engine. HUGE difference. I chalk it up to people defending what they own as being the best which happens all the time (no idea why really but seemes like people do it) and also to riders who aren't agggressive with the throttle to unleash the potential of an lc9 engine...so I can indeed relate to what the OP is feeling